Instagram is one of the top-most social media platforms. If you’ve just begun your journey on this platform that is loaded with over 2 billion active users, one thought is surely bothering you- how to increase followers on Instagram, right?
Well, this worry is justified considering the cut-throat competition one has to face on this platform. But that does not mean that you’ll never be able to get your desired follower count.
It is possible to see your desired number of followers on your Instagram Account. The best part- it is possible to increase the count of Instagram Followers in legit ways. Yes, you read that right. There is no need to acquire paid Instagram followers because it’ll only result in the degradation of your profile over time. So what should you do? That’s what we’re about to discuss and there is one bonus tip for you at the end. So let’s get started…..
How To Increase Followers On Instagram Organically?
Whether a brand/business owner or social media creator one thing surely brings pleasure for them- The Rising Count Of Instagram Followers. This seemingly unattainable goal becomes reality for those who actually work for it. So if you’re ready to put in the effort, then you must learn these 15 tips on how to increase followers on Instagram organically.
1. Optimize Your Instagram Profile
The game begins right here! You need to make your Instagram Profile presentable and catchy. As they say, make a first impression that doesn’t disappoint your audience. How? Scroll down a little to discover this…..
1. Easy Username: Remember that your Instagram Username should be small and attention-grabbing. Company name or brand name can be the optimum pick for Instagram Profile Username. Otherwise, you can use a snappy and unique username with a related keyword.
2. Profile Picture: Your profile picture will become your virtual identity on Instagram, so try to make it professional and unique. Brands and businesses usually display their logo as a profile picture. Creators can use interesting art designs for this. Make sure to pay attention to the Instagram profile picture dimensions.
3. Catchy Bio: Here comes the most awaited part! Your Instagram Bio has to be concise yet interesting. You can also put a link in your bio to direct the audience to your website/app or promote a special deal.
These three components have to be professionally optimized because your audience will see them the first right when they land on your Instagram Account or Page. So to get started on how to increase followers on Instagram, you first need to pay attention to these tiny details. Especially, your Instagram Bio has to be crafted well within 150 characters (yes, that’s the limit)-
(a) It must convey what you deal in or what your business is about concisely. Businesses usually provide their key service and contact information in their Instagram Bio.
(b) Instagram in-bio link is the one and only place on this Meta-owned platform where you can add a link. So you’ve to make a diligent choice regarding the link you want to provide here.
Pro Tip: Instead of your website link, direct your audience to another social media channel from where they can get to know about your other profiles as well.
(c) Call To Action (CTA) tab Integration is a splendid idea in Instagram Bio. This will help redirect your audience in just a single hit.
2. Deliver Engaging Content, Don’t Over Promote Your Business
Sure you want to learn how to increase followers on Instagram to promote your business on this platform but that must not be the sole reason you’re there. Because if that happens, then be ready to bid adieu to your followers.
Netizens have a keen enthusiasm for getting engaged on social media. Needless to say that Instagram is one of their favorite places and they don’t want to listen to or see that “your product/service is the best for them” all the time.
What matters on Instagram is Engagement! That’s why you’ve to strike a balance between promoting your business (products/services) and engaging your audience.
- Are you running out of ideas? Well, there are an abundance of ways to engage with your audience on Instagram, for instance-
- You can ask them questions related to your industry or niche.
- Or you can run polls asking them for their experience about a particular thing or place.
- Run giveaways/contests.
- Or share some valuable insights related to your niche that can benefit them.
- You can use a viral social media trend to talk about your business.
- This way, you’ll be able to captivate your audience’s attention and leverage your business in a single stroke.
Apart from being a social media platform Instagram is also a new-age entertainment platform. So it’s up to you to keep the audience engaged with you so they find you interesting and share about your account with others as well. Otherwise, there will be no benefit in learning about how to increase followers on Instagram.
3. Use Appropriate Hashtags
Hashtags are one of the most integral parts of Instagram Posts. Whether it is a reel or a video or a normal image post, to broaden its reach you must use the relevant hashtags.
Now you have to be a little thoughtful while selecting hashtags for your post because the count and relevancy matter a lot here. This gives a two-way approach- (i) you need to use the appropriate number of hashtags- not too many, not too less; (ii) the hashtags you choose must be niche-specific. Let’s talk about this in more detail so that you get the right insights on how to increase followers on Instagram with hashtags.
Instagram algorithm categorizes the posts under the umbrella of particular hashtags. With the help of Instagram Analytics and Tools, you can find the right hashtags and track their performance as well.
You can also find the hashtags on Instagram itself. Simply type a keyword or phrase related to your services/products or topic in the Instagram Search tab and hover over the “tags section.” Also, take cues from the people or businesses who offer similar products/services as yours.
How Many #Hashtags?
Talking of how many hashtags you should use in Instagram Posts, it depends on the format you pick. For instance, if you’re sharing a Reel, 3 to 7 hashtags would do. Similarly, for image posts, you can use between 3 to 4 hashtags.
To get the exact numbers you’ll need to use Instagram Analytics to monitor the performance of hashtags. Though the hashtag count differs for different Instagram post formats, the fact that its overuse will make your reach go down remains unchangeable. That you surely don’t want otherwise all your efforts in learning how to increase followers on Instagram will go in vain.
4. Leverage User-Generated (UGC) Content
If you know about the success of the National Geographic’s #Wanderlust Contest, you probably know the potential of UGC. It went so viral and became a trend. UGC gives the opportunity to engage with your existing followers and acquire new ones.
Seriously, there is no better way to get rely on if you wish to know how to increase followers on Instagram. You need to tactfully leverage user-generated content and organize campaigns that can make people engage with you.
User-generated content is influential and more authentic which means it has a high chance of getting people to talk about your business and establish a brand-like image. Your audience needs a reason to be by your side and engage with you, that is what UGC gives them. Learn some interesting ways to leverage User-Generated Content and know how to increase followers on Instagram with it.
5. Experiment With Different Content Forms
Instagram is filled with an audience with a variety of interests. Where some adore reels, some just love to scroll a set of image posts, and for others, Instagram Stories become most captivating.
So if you were wondering how to increase followers on Instagram, experimenting with different content formats is surely going to do wonders for you. This means you can’t stick to a single type of content form for longer. Rather you need to experiment with all forms of content and see what engages your audience the most. So why not start learning with Reels– one of the most engaging Instagram content formats?
But how would you decide which format to pick and which one works best for you- Reels, Stories, IGTV Videos, or Boomerangs? Instagram Analytics will help business accounts on Instagram a lot with audience analytics and insights.
Even if your audience is engaging with one kind of content the most, you must not stop to post in other content forms. Why so? Because Instagram Algorithms will show different audiences different content forms based on their preferences. So either way, this experimentation of Instagram content formats is a win-win situation for you and your audiences.
This will improve the chances of getting new followers and that is your primary goal. Otherwise, you’ll skip on a new audience even after knowing how to increase followers on Instagram?
6. Think About Captions
If you don’t use appropriate keywords in your IG Posts’ Captions, there is no use in learning any other tactic about how to increase followers on Instagram. You can use (not overuse) your niche-oriented keywords in Post Captions and the Content itself. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to make your captions or content boring, not at all. Be creative and try to form interesting captions whether long or short.
If you want to know how to increase followers on Instagram, you must be aware that Instagram Captions can open a hub of opportunities for that. How? Host ‘tag and share screenshot contests.’ Host giveaways, and contests and ask your audience to tag and share about it with their friends, take screenshots, and share them with you. Announce your sales offers and discounts through Captions and ask your audience to share the deals.
7. Decode Instagram Algorithm
If you’ve been successful at decoding and leveraging Instagram Algorithms, you already know how to increase followers on Instagram. But if not, then here is the rocket science- Instagram has different sets of algorithms for ranking different posts. It’s different for image posts, it’s different for reels and completely different for the Explore section. Seems like a hassle, no? Well, it just SEEMS like a hassle but is not because all these different sets of Instagram Algorithms have four things in common.
Instagram Algorithms focus on the below-mentioned 4 aspects in any type of post-
- User Activity: Instagram suggests users posts that match their interests.
- User Interaction On That Account: It analyzes how often and in what ways (like, comment, share, reshare, saved, etc.) a user has interacted with a particular post of that account.
- Post Popularity: Instagram Algorithm analyzes how frequently a post has been seen in a particular time span and what its content is.
- Account Information: Instagram sees how often a post is shared on that account and what is the engagement rate of that account.
Now the question is how to increase followers on Instagram with this information. Well, you must choose your target audience wisely. When you’ll share posts with specific target audiences who can relate more to them, it’ll drive more engagement and reach.
Instagram Algorithm will pick your posts for showing them in the Explore section or Suggested section. This cycle will go on and on and your posts will get more reach and more followers.
8. Promote Your Instagram Handle On Other Platforms
This is one of the most effective tips that can come in handy if you wish to know how to increase followers on Instagram. Cross-promotions are so fine-tuning that they can leverage your account’s reach to a whole another level. You can mention your Instagram handle in your posts on other social media accounts.
Providing a Call To Action (CTA) tab on your website and emails is another simple way of directing people to your Instagram Handle. In fact, you can create an announcement buzz on other social platforms to ensure your Instagram audience doesn’t miss a special offer or event.
9. Run Away From Paid Followers
Talking of how to increase followers on Instagram, one must keep in mind that paid followers are not going to do any good for you. The reality is they will degrade the credibility of your Instagram Profile.
Paid followers seem like a very easy shortcut to escalate the count of your followers on Instagram. But by the time you’ll realize that these are just bots that can’t generate any engagement, it’ll be too late. You would’ve already paid for destroying your account because your actual audience will also see your profile as a scam. This will project that you’re a fake account holder and even the audience who previously followed you will lose interest in you.
10. Partner With Influencers
This is the go-to option for most people who want to know how to increase followers on Instagram. Partnering with an already established name on Instagram would be equally beneficial as manufacturers sell their products under the name of Amazon.
You must try to reach out to prominent Instagram Influencers. But how? Firstly, you need to approach those influencers who are directly related to your industry. Let’s say you deal in skincare products, then a dermatologist can be a good choice to partner with. You can also partner with the ones who don’t directly relate to your niche, but it will not benefit you that much.
11. Keep A Content Calendar For Instagram Posts
Consistency is the key if you’re working hard to know how to increase followers on Instagram organically. Because if your post appears once-in-a-blue-moon, your audience will not remember you. You’ve to post consistently. But how consistent? Does that mean posting daily? Does that mean posting several times a day?
See, the thing is, it depends upon you and your audience. You need to pick such days and times for posting when you’re available for responding to and engaging with your Instagram audience. Initially, you can also consider this a trial-and-error method, after all, you’ll have to start once for the very first time, right?
To start smart, you must pick the time and days when the chances of audience engagement are high. You need not to post every day, pick 2 or 3 weekdays and post twice or thrice at such times when your audience can engage with it. It depends on the nature of your business and your target audience. For instance, if you sell baby products, then most parents get time for buying such items in the noon time or in the evening, or late at night. Whereas, for cafes or restaurants, idle time would be between noon and evening when their audience is usually on break from work.
Once you’ve got it all figured out, then prepare a Content Calendar to pre-decide the scheduling dates, time, captions, and hashtags, basically keeping everything ready to post for the next two weeks or a month.
Maintaining the content calendar will get your Instagram posts to flow smoothly. This way, you’ll get a sorted plan not only for how to increase followers on Instagram but also for how to engage with your Instagram audience.
12. Understand Your Instagram Analytics
To understand what is working for your Instagram account and to know how to increase followers on Instagram, you need to monitor Instagram Analytics (which is only accessible to Instagram Business Account holders). It’ll help you in understanding how well your Instagram posts are doing. You’ll be able to get a scoopful of REII (Reach, Engagement, Interactions, Impressions) insights about your posts.
13. Share On Stories
Stories are a splendid way to be seen and promote your Instagram account. If someone doesn’t directly land on your account, then share your posts on Instagram Stories. That’ll help your posts grab the attention of your audience. Not just that, you can also integrate a CTA to direct them to Follow your Insta Account because many people forget to do that.
But when your content is shared consistently with them (refer to the previous point), you’ll get the desired count of followers sooner. You can boost your engagement rate on Instagram through polls, announcements, Q&A, quizzes, etc. And guess what, this boost in engagement will automatically suggest to Instagram that your account is useful for its audience. This will lift a little burden of finding ways on how to increase followers on Instagram.
14. Geotag Your Posts
Don’t underestimate the power of geotagging your Instagram Posts if you want to know how to increase followers on Instagram organically. Geotags make Instagram Posts discoverable among the people of a particular location.
If you have a physical store, geotagging your posts will give you exposure in front of the local audience. Many business corporations, artists, and creators use geotags for sharing about special conferences, meets or events.
Geotags elevate the chances of your posts getting found whenever someone performs a location search while on Instagram. This usually happens when people want to find about different shops in their nearby area or search for a particular business location.
15. Make Your Instagram Posts Directly Resharable On Facebook
Are your Instagram Posts resharable on Facebook? Go, go check. If they are not then you’re missing a big chunk of followers. So if you want to make the most of mastering the art of how to increase followers on Instagram, then follow the below-stated steps and make your posts shareable on Facebook-
- Log into your Instagram Account.
- Tap/Click on your profile picture or
icon appearing at the bottom.
- On the top-right corner, tap/click on the three horizontal lines
.
- Go to ‘Settings’, then go to ‘Privacy.’
- Locate and tap/click on the ‘Story’ option.
- Scroll down a little and Enable
the ‘Share Your Story To Facebook’ option.
And done, now your Facebook Audience will also get to know about your business updates and offers. This way, you can redirect them to Instagram and attract new followers.
Congrats you’ve just learned how to increase followers on Instagram organically. Instagram has an ever-increasing user base and engagement and the platform is supporting businesses and creators. Scroll down a little to discover the bonus tip for you.
Bonus Tip: Go For Instagram Advertising
Looking for ways to increase followers on Instagram without followers or how to increase followers on Instagram fast? Then IG Advertising should be your go-to option.
Though Advertising on Instagram is not exactly an organic way if you wish to know how to increase followers on Instagram, it is a legit way. And it’s not like illicit buying paid followers. Marketers have experienced more than 86% exposure through advertising on Instagram. To know more on how to advertise on Instagram, click here.
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